PHEASANT CHICKS

[firebug]

SAY I SAW MY FIRST GROUP OF PHEASANT CHICKS LAST NIGHT. I THOUGHT THIS WAS PRETTY EARLIER. THESE CHICKS WHERE ABOUT 2 WEEKS OLD. HOPEFULLY THIS IS JUST A START OF MANY, MANY CHICKS

[Eric Wettschreck]

I saw a small group of little fuzz balls out my way over the weekend. I thought it may have been a little early but like you said, hopefully it's a good sign.

[harvey lee]

I had to go on the road a bit today and saw three hens with little ones. One hen had what looked to be 13 little ones. It was hard to count as I slowed down but they were running all over.

[picksbigwagon]

We have a rooster in the fields next to our school. All day long I hear him looking for love, and there isn't nor have I ever seen a hen in our area at school(10 years at this building now). I actually saw him next to the parking lot one day last week, huge rooster, longest tail feathers I have ever seen. If I see him again I will post a picture

[maros91]

I have yet to see any chicks running around in my area and I see pheasants everyday running on the road. Hopefully soon!!

[123fish]

Saw my first brood today. They were at least ten days old I would guess.

[UGUIDE]

I saw my first when cruising backroads near Gackle North Dakota. She had at least 10 chicks. I heard another report from South Dakota of nests holding 12-17 eggs on average. Based on the early brood sights and nest egg count we could be in for something good since the broods seem a little larger than past years.

[Super Black]

Was in South Dakota last weekend and saw quite a few chics with hens. Also what really baffeled me was one actually flew a few yards!! Could be a banner year this year gentleman....SB

[Powerstroke]

Took my dog out behind the house yesterday and we flushed to chicks and a hen. We quickly moved on in case there were more chicks nearby. Those chicks took off and flew like they were full grown.

[lawdog]

I still haven't seen any

[gundy89]

Saw a hen with 6-8 chicks down by Faribault on Wed. The little ones could fly.

[xedge2002]

I saw my first brood on the side of the road last Sunday. There was about 10 of them with a hen picking gravel and as I went by they were heading for the ditch.

[huntmup]

I had to spend the last couple days at the farm , so I took some time to drive around my hunting grounds in the Morton, Redwood and Olivia area . Pheasant chicks of all sizes, hens and roosters every where.

All the years growing up and hunting out there, I have never seen anything like it .

Ducks and Geese with little ones in all the sloughs I glassed .

Two longbeards in a bean field and Three in a pasture .

Three hens together in a cut hey field about 50 yards from the woods but NO little ones with them . Not good.

There were Deer every where. I spotted a doe with triplets next to some woods and three boys in velvet in a beans field .

You can through out the saying "knee high by the fourth of July" because most of the corn is already crest to neck high in the area. The beans are also looking good.

My stomping grounds are looking like another early fall this year I can not enough .

I almost foregot Doves. You dove hunters should have a great year. Lots of the little buggers on the road sides.

Happy Hunting.

Dan

[maros91]

I still have not seen any yet either. I have seen a bunch of roosters though.

[BLACKJACK]

I haven't seen any pheasant broods yet either but I see 5-6 roosters and hens every morning on the way to work! Any day now...

[maros91]

I seen my first chicks probably last Wednesday. Hen was on the side of the road and there was two right beneath her. I am sure there was more in the ditch. These chicks were not that big. I also seen a couple yesterday. These chicks were bigger than the first group I seen.

[UGUIDE]

I was out redoing some food plots that got "foxtailed in" and weed treating some others out at my place SW of Mitchell SD. On the real hot days I did not see much but on the cooler day I saw 10 separate broods. Chicks were mostly flyers and were different sizes from 2-5" tall. Also noticed more hens with roosters than over Memorial weekend.

[firebug]

say the pheasant chicks where out this past 2 days. Saw about 10 different groups.Gotta like that

[Eric Wettschreck]

I'm with ya. I saw a bunch of different broods on the side of the road as I was coming into work this morning. Gotta love it.

[BobT]

Had to stop and wait for a hen and her brood cross the road the other morning. They were like the energizer battery. They kept coming and coming and coming and.... I would bet she had at least 2 dozen with her if not more. I didn't know they could have that many. I also saw another hen a few yards away with about a dozen or fifteen with her. Might be another good year if they all survive.

Bob

[UGUIDE]

The broods definitely seem bigger this year. I suspect that both SD/NS/MN will have the highest road surveys in Aug is years. Could beat the 40 year highs that SD has had last two years.

[firebug]

I think we better enjoy this year. We don't know what next year might bring. Alot CRP coming out or maybe a bad winter.

[UGUIDE]

Amen. We'd better factor in a ruffed grouse hunt to northern MN too since the numbers are on the upswing.

[lawdog]

Finally saw a batch of youngens. 8 chicks about the size of a fat mama robin.

[eagle_3464]

I have seen a few chicks here and there but not nearly as many as I thought I would. Most of the road ditches have been cut for hay starting back in early June. I can't help but think that this early cutting really takes a toll on the nesting. I have since seen lots of hens on these road sides with no chicks in sight. IMO, I think this roadside cutting should be prohibitted until at least July 1st, at which time most chicks will be old enough to scurry out of harms way.

[BobT]

I don't know if I agree with the banning of roadside mowing. From what I see around here, hens just don't build their nests in the ditches. There's too much road traffic. I see them after the hatches because they are out there picking rocks but I don't recall ever seeing a nest in a road ditch. I personally don't know where that idea comes from. On my property at least I know they nest in the grassy areas and frequent my alfalfa, wheat, and bean fields and accept for early morning or later afternoon they are rarely on the roads or in the ditches.

Just my observation.

Bob

[CaptainMusky]

Quote:

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Amen. We'd better factor in a ruffed grouse hunt to northern MN too since the numbers are on the upswing.

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I agree 100%.

With the Ethanol craze and how that has made corn prices sky rocket, farmers will likely be turning it all into corn if their program expires. Who in the right mind wouldn't?

I think it is time for the ethanol producers to look at more viable sources than corn. It is too costly to produce the ethanol using corn and now all the downstream effects are being felt by all of us. Milk, poultry, meat, etc are all high and getting higher.

The really sad part is if it weren't for the government subsidies on E85 right now it wouldn't be any cheaper at the pump. What advantage is there?

[tybo]

In the last month I have seen many sets of chicks. Usually around 6-10 chicks per hen. They have reanged from just out of the eggs to the size of chukars.